Schaaf Wary Of Cologne Potential

First Team
Friday, 05.05.2006 / 15:07

It has been some eight and a half years and eight meetings since FC Cologne could last overcome Werder Bremen. After a 2:0 win for the 'Geißböcke' back in November 1997 there followed six Werder wins and two draws.

It has been some eight and a half years and eight meetings since FC Cologne could last overcome Werder Bremen. After a 2:0 win for the 'Geißböcke' back in November 1997 there followed six Werder wins and two draws. It will be an especially difficult task for the Cologne side to get a result at the Weser Stadium on Saturday, 06.05.06 on the penultimate match day of the season. The team from the Cathedral City come to Bremen as a relegated side and face a confident Werder side who, after their 5:3 win in Duisburg on Wednesday, are almost certain of maintaining their third place in the league and with that the chance to qualify for the Champions League. The chance of making second place and automatically qualifying is not yet gone either.

 

Werder expecting 'Cup Final' feeling in Hamburg

 

Head coach Thomas Schaaf has not yet settled for third spot: "Sure you can say we've played a fantastic season but we shouldn't forget that we have two games still ahead of us. We want to offer the fans a really good game of football against Cologne and hope that something amazing happens on the last day of the season in Hamburg." Tim Borowski also sees the situation as his trainer: "Third place is fine but HSV could slip up and if they do, we want to be there", commented the German international who is still hopeful of a Hamburg mishap.

 

For Thomas Schaaf, Cologne's position as second from bottom club in the league is no reason to undersetimate them: "It would be fatal to think that Cologne have thrown in the towel because of their position in the table. We saw in Duisburg what can happen if you let any side play football." Schaaf was still full of praise for the 'Geißböcke' in spite of their relegation: "Cologne have performed well on several occasions this season - often it was that the result worked against them." Striker Ivan Klasnic said: "Duisburg showed us that a game against a relegated side is not neccessarily easy to win. It's all about how you play", explained the Croatian international.

 

Lucas Podolski celebrates his 50th appearance in the Bundesliga

 

Cologne are second from bottom with 27 points to their name and only one defeat in the last six matches. The team from the banks of the Rhein are six points adrift of the safety of 15th place, but with Wolfsburg and Kaiserslautern playing each other on the final match day, they are guaranteed to pick up at least a point each which will conceal Colognes faith. For Cologne, the game will be all about giving the 3,500 travelling fans something to cheer about and bid an honourable farewell to the top flight. German international Lukas Podolski will celebrate his 50th game in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

 

Baumann still out

 

Whether or not Johan Micoud will be available will be decided by the leagues suspension hearing. Christain Schulz could still make the cut but has been suffering with a rib injury he picked up in the Schalke clash. Petri Pasanen picked up a foot injury on Wednesday and is questionable, Aaron Hunt and Miroslav Klose are also awaiting doctors results. The German international who picked up a knock to his knee against Duisburg explained: "The decision will be made tomorrow and then we'll see." Definately out are Frank Baumann (torn knee ligaments), Jurica Vranjes (torn ligaments) and Patrick Owomoyela who will have to sit out the game having picked up his fifth yellow card against MSV.

 

Johnnie Muldoon

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